Who was Sunday's 'Breaking Bad' dedicated to?

Frank Ockenfels / AMC

Frank Ockenfels / AMC

Patrick Kevin Day

At the end of Sunday night's midseason premiere of "Breaking Bad," just moments after Hank's brutal confrontation with Walt, a dedication popped on screen. It said, "Dedicated to our friend Kevin Cordasco." But Cordasco wasn't a crew or cast member, he was a teenage fan of the show who died of cancer in March.

According to the Los Angeles Daily News, the 16-year-old Cordasco battled a rare form of cancer for seven years and became captivated by star Bryan Cranston's character, Walter White, whose own cancer diagnosis prompts him to refashion his life as an increasingly powerful drug lord.

Through a family connection in the entertainment industry, Cordasco was able to meet Cranston, series creator Vince Gilligan and several other members of the cast. He'd even been invited to visit the Albuquerque, N.M., set, but had to decline because of his poor health.

One of the most fascinating aspects of Cordasco's relationship to the series was that he had reportedly been offered a copy of the script for the show's final episode. It was gift he could have so long as he signed something that guaranteed he wouldn't discuss the contents of the script with anyone else. However, Cordasco turned down the offer, preferring to see the final episode instead of reading it, and unsure if he could keep the conclusion to himself.

Sadly, Cordasco died before he had a chance to watch the final episode. According to the story, the dedication was requested by Gilligan himself. It's only the fourth time the series has dedicated an episode to someone.